Voting-booth.



J. B. RBDPIELD.

VOTING BOOTH.

APPLICATION FILED 00mm, 1912.

1,097,728. Patented May 26, 1914.

8mm, Josie/1 B. Redfi/d,

lmanac aw:

am w JOSIAH B. REDFIELD, 0F OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

VOTING-BOOTH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 26,191 4.

Application filed October 22, 1912. Serial No. 727,210.

To all whom it may concern Be it. known that I, Josmrr B. ltnnrnnn), a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Voting- Booths, of which the following a spec's fication.

My invention relates to voting booth or stalls, and especially to structures of the class employed in communities where separate compartments must be provided for the use of each voter while marking his ballot.

It is the object of my invention to provide a voting booth of this character which may be taken down and packed in a small space, which may be quickly set up when desired for use, and which may be manufactured at a low cost.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a structure embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view showing certain of the frame-parts disconnected and juxtaposed in the approximate relative positions in which they are placed preparatory to connecting them with each other.

In carrying out my invention I provide a frame which is preferably made up of wooden bars all of uniform rectangular cross-section, and sheet-metal corner-connections which form sockets for receiving the ends of the bars. In the structure shown the frame has three similar side-portions, each of which has upper and lower horizontal members 1, and intermediate horizontal members 2 and 3, the latter members being permanently connected to each other by suitable means such the pins or nails t shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. Each of the said horizontal members 1, 2 and 3, is provided at each end with a corner-connector 5 which is preferably made of sheet metal formed so as to provide two sockets extending at right angles to each other, the ends of the horizontal members being inserted and permanently secured in one of the sockets of each corner-connector. The open sockets at the ends of the intermediate horizontal members 2 and 3 extend vertically in opposite directions, as shown in Fig. 2. In assembling the frame the ends of the vertical members 6 are inserted in the open vertically-extending sockets of the corner-connectors. In the entire frame there are twelve of the vertical members 6, and of these eight are connected to each other in palrs by means of bolts 7 provided with thumb-nuts 8, each of the four pairs having two of the connecting bolts 7, disposed so that one bolt is near each end of the connected pair of members. The said paired members serve to connect and hold together the adjoining edges of the side-portions and the back-portion of the frame. Before the parts are assembled the thumb-nuts 8 are loosened so as to permit the bars to be slightly separated as shown in Fig. 2, thus enabling the ends of the bars to be easily inserted in the sockets carried by the horizontal members. After the ends of the ver tical members have been inserted in the sockets the thumb-nuts are tightened down so as to draw the bars together and clamp the adjoining portions of the sockets firmly against each other. The clamping action also serves to hold the bars in the sockets. After the described frame-parts have been assembled, a shelf 9 is placed so that one side and the ends thereof rest upon the upper intermediate horizontal members 2-, and the ends of the shelf are secured in place by bolts 10 which pass through the members 2 and 3, as indicated in Fig. 1. After the frame is erected the upper portion of the same is inclosed by means of a sheet of fabric 11 which is provided at its ends with cords 12, the same being tied around the frame members at the front or open side of the booth, as indicated.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that my invention provides, when erected, a comparatively rigid and substantial structure which will fully meet the requirements of the uses for which it is intended. The proportions of the structure are such that the shelf 9 is at a convenient height to serve as a support or desk for the marking of a ballot by a voter standing in the booth with his back toward the open side thereof. The fabric covering, being comparatively translucent, makes it unnecessary to employ artificial light in the booth except at night, while it effectively conceals the ballot from persons outside the booth. When the booth is no longer required for use, it may be quickly disarticulated by pulling the ends of the vertical frame-members out of the sockets carried by the horizontal members, the fabric covering and the shelf 9 being first removed, and the thumb-nuts 8 loosened sufliciently to permit the ends of the paired vertical members to be easily Withdrawn from the sockets. After the booth has been taken down its frame-parts may be laid together and the fabric covering Wrapped around them, so that all of the parts of the booth form a light and compact bundle which may be stored in a small space until again required for use.

Now, having described my invention, What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an article of the class described, a set of horizontal and a set of vertical frame members, corner-connectors secured to one set of said frame-members and having sockets adapted to detachably retain the ends of the other set of frame-members, and means for permanently securing together in pairs the frame-members adjoining each other longitudinally.

2. In an article of the class described, a set of horizontal and a set of vertical framemembers, corner-connectors secured on the ends of one set of the frame-members and having sockets to receive the ends of the other set of frame-members, means for permanently securing together in pairs the longitudinally adjoining ones of the framemembers carrying the corner-connectors, and adjustable clamping means for permanently holding together in pairs the longitudinally adjoining ones of the other set of framemembers.

7 3. In a voting booth, a separable frame comprising a plurality of similar sections, 36 each section consisting of a plurality of members each separable from the others, and means for permanently securing to each other the contiguous members of the different sections, whereby the adjoining sides of 40 each pair of the sections are formed by members that are permanently connected to each other. v

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two Wit- 4 nesses.

JOSIAH B. REDFIELD.

lVitnesses D. O. BARNELL, A. R. MrrormLL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. O." 

